Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano announced his resignation Wednesday after he admitted to selling old department body vests and other items over the last couple of years.

"This was wrong, illegal, unethical and dishonest," Solano said in a written statement. "It is with a heavy heart and great shame that I release this statement today. I have done some things that I should not have done and am ready to come clean and face the consequences."

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Solano said he started selling the items after reading news articles about families of soldiers buying protective body vests to send to their loved ones overseas. Most of his sales were to military personnel, Solano said.

The sheriff also sold phones, flashlights, police belts and holsters.

The resignation will take effect as soon as a replacement is named by the county commission. Until that time, Sheriff-Elect Robert Garcia will head up operations.

An emergency meeting is underway to select a new sheriff.

"Like many Americans I have been caught up in a high mortgage, with high interest rates and was having a very hard time paying my mortgage and the bills that come with it," Solano said. "It has been very hard to live the last few years trying to be what is expected as an elected official and to be battling my financial problems .This is not an excuse. What I did was wrong and cannot be justified. "

Over the course of the past several months, the New Mexico State Police said they have been looking into an allegation of embezzlement by Greg Solano.

Through the four-month investigation, agents with the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau said they learned that Greg Solano was selling Santa Fe County property. The amount of property has not come to a final tally; the scheme was facilitated through eBay where Solano would sell items illegally, investigators said.

Soloano said he called New Mexico State Police on Monday to admit his wrongdoing.

"I will not burden the taxpayers additional monies by fighting this. I will accept the consequences for my actions. Although my home is threatened with foreclosure and I am now unemployed, I plan to pay back what I took," he said.

Solano said his family and his staff didn't know about the sales.

"My sincere apologies to all those who believed in me and for whom I have let down. I hope that in the future when I have proven myself worthy that I will receive forgiveness from many of you and from God," Solano said.

Through the course of the investigation we have been working with the 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office. The case is ongoing and once complete an update will be provided.